Category: Australian News

More than two thirds (68%) of Australians want stronger laws to protect our wildlife and environment, new research shows.
Poll figures released today, come after the Federal Government announced plans to amend Australia’s environment laws in a bid to fast-track applications for developments such as new mines and land-clearing as part of its post-COVID-19 agenda.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Government thinks it can use the cover of COVID-19 as an excuse to scrap environmental protections, but this polling shows they are barking up the wrong tree.
“Two-thirds of Australians want stronger environmental laws, not weaker ones that favour the Government’s big mining mates.
“The poll results show little support for the Morrison Government’s attack on the environment, with respondents rejecting the push to cut ‘green tape’ before the scheduled 10-year review of environmental laws is even complete.
“Australians have just experienced and witnessed overwhelming destruction of our environment with the catastrophic bushfires and so many of us have turned to nature to help us through the Coronavirus pandemic.
“They know our precious wildlife is endangered and our pristine wilderness and native bushland is being pummelled by miners and developers, and they want it protected.
“There was more than 1700 threatened species in Australia before the bushfire crisis including our beloved koalas and Victoria’s faunal emblem the Leadbeater’s possum, and with so much more habitat lost from the summer fires, many more species are expected to now be endangered.
“The EPBC Act is already failing in its purpose of protecting conservation and biodiversity with flora and fauna becoming threatened, endangered and even going extinct.
“Fast-tracking applications will do even more damage. As it is, only about 2 per cent of applications under the existing laws get knocked back.
“Worse still, many applications to clear potential habitat for threatened species and ecological communities are not even referred to the Federal Government for assessment, which has resulted in 7.7 million hectares being cleared between 2000 and 2017.
“Australia is losing more and more of our precious environment and the public want change that protects wildlife and habitat.
“The public will not fall for the lazy argument that sacrificing the environment is necessary for economic recovery, particularly when so many industries like tourism, accommodation and hospitality – some of the hardest hit by COVID-19 shutdowns, depend on our environment.
“This poll shows only 5% support the Government’s plans to weaken environment laws. It’s time the Morrison Government started listening to the people rather than the mining lobby, and protect what makes Australia such a great place to live and visit.”
Question: The Federal Government wants to make the process for approving developments and projects faster by changing laws that protect the environment and wildlife. Under the new laws, do you believe the environment and native wildlife should have …? Base: Australians 18+ (n=1,008)

The national poll of 1008 adult Australians in all states, was commissioned by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and conducted by Lonergan between 30 April and 4 May 2020.

The Australian Greens have called on the government to establish publicly funded vaccine manufacturing capacity in Australia to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is available to all Australians.
A recent Defence science technology report outlined in today’s media has warned of a shortage in vaccines in Australia during a pandemic because of the lack of production capacity in Australia.
Speaking in Melbourne Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP and Greens Health spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale called on the Morrison government to immediately invest $70 million in expanding the CSIRO’s vaccine manufacturing facilities and to develop a plan to stand up a publicly funded manufacturing capacity by working with the Australian medical industry.
The Greens also want the Australian government to ensure the vaccine is available free of charge and have repeated their call for the flu vaccine to be fully available and free.
Adam Bandt said:
“We need a publicly backed vaccine manufacturer.”
“Currently most vaccine manufacturing happens in the United States, China and Germany. Australia risks being at the back of the queue.”
“Australians shouldn’t have to rely on Donald Trump putting us ahead of his reelection chances and expect that vaccines made in the United States will come here quickly.”
“We have wonderful medical scientists who are already working on vaccine candidates and some manufacturing capacity at the CSIRO and elsewhere that could be scaled up with the right investment from the Commonwealth.”
“If we can’t get the vaccine through other means, a publicly-owned COVID vaccine manufacturer may be the only way to save lives.”
Dr Richard Di Natale said:
“The government has a responsibility to ensure that Australians have timely, secure and free access to any COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. We know that the pandemic will likely disrupt existing supply chains for vaccines at a time when unprecedented supply will be required.”
“In past pandemics we have seen uneven and unfair distribution of vaccines in which wealthy nations have placed huge early orders and squeezed out smaller nations. By producing the vaccine locally Australia can secure domestic access for vulnerable Australians and also assist in ensuring access in our region.”
“The government also needs to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is free and widely available.”

Australia’s first regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service-led GP respiratory clinic has opened today in Toowoomba to provide locals with culturally safe place to be tested and treated for COVID-19.
The clinic, at Carbal Medical Clinic, will also take pressure off local hospital emergency departments and other GP clinics within the Toowoomba area.
Federal Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton said the clinic is best placed to support people with a fever, a cough, a sore throat, and other respiratory symptoms and help to minimise the risk of infection in the communities.
“The respiratory clinic will enable members of the community with symptoms to receive the appropriate medical advice and get tested, without posing a risk to other patients in the clinic who may be seeing their GP for a non-COVID19 related reason,” Minister Coulton said.
“While the pandemic is not widespread in regional areas as yet, it’s important we have local doctors leading the local response and preparation for their communities.
“I want to assure regional Australians that our number one priority is protecting and supporting communities through COVID-19.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said sadly, Indigenous Australians are more likely to suffer from a serious illness if they contract COVID-19. There are higher rates of chronic conditions and other health issues in regional communities and it can be hard to access health care.
This means that an outbreak of COVID-19 in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community has the potential to be very serious. This testing program will help protect Indigenous Australians against the virus.
Federal Member for Groom, Dr John McVeigh said the opening of the region’s first respiratory clinic was a very important step in the community’s ongoing fight against COVID-19.
“The Federal Government has been working with Carbal Medical Service, Darling Downs & West Moreton PHN, local GPs and Aspen Medical — which has significant health emergency management experience in Australia and overseas — to rollout the Toowoomba ACCHS clinic,” Dr McVeigh said.
To access the clinic GP respiratory clinic, patients can visit health.gov.au and use the online booking system or phone Carbal Medical Centre on 07 4639 7300.
The Federal Government has invested $206.7 million to establish around 100 respiratory clinics across Australia, including in rural and regional areas in each state and territory. Additionally, more than 200 fever clinics, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, are also in operation across Australia.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has labelled the government’s latest change to JobKeeper eligibility rules farcical and sinister as it bends over backwards to deny wage subsidy support to Australian universities.
In the latest twist, Sydney Uni has been denied access to the scheme despite having believed to have qualified due to a significant drop in revenue, and having paid staff additional money in anticipation of receiving government support.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The government is bending over backwards to deny universities access to the JobKeeper wage subsidy. This is farcical and sinister stuff.
“Universities have been dealing with huge uncertainties for months now. Constantly shifting the goalposts is not only enormously unfair to them in this crisis, but reveals the Liberals’ malice towards higher education.
“The clear intent to lock universities out of JobKeeper can only be explained by the Liberals’ ongoing hostility to higher education and their commitment to starve universities of funding.
“The government is fully aware that up to 30,000 university jobs are on the line, but they just don’t seem to care.
“In addition to JobKeeper, the government must back universities through a new package which would massively boost funding, save jobs and improve universities for staff and students,” she said.

Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has backed a call from a coalition of peak housing and homelessness groups to ramp up social housing construction to help solve the housing crisis and generate jobs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The government should be investing now to make sure everyone has a roof over their head. Australia is in desperate need of more social housing. Filling this gap now by constructing new homes will also act as a much-needed economic stimulus.
“Immediate social housing construction is a vital part of building a better world on the other side of this pandemic. It will also create tens of thousands of jobs. Over the next decade, we must build 500,000 new public and community high-quality, climate-conscious houses that can become safe and secure homes for so many people in need.
“Long overdue maintenance and upgrading will make existing social housing safe and liveable for people on low incomes and benefit existing social housing tenants, while providing jobs.
“Relying on the market has utterly failed to address our housing crisis, leaving some of the most vulnerable people on the verge of homelessness or in chronic rental stress. It’s time for the Federal Government to lead from the front with big investment to build public and community housing.
“Every week now we see more people locked out of affordable housing. This is simply unsustainable and inhumane. Things have to change,” she said.

The Australian government should develop and publicly release criteria for temporary visa holders to be allowed to return to Australia.
During the COVID-19 select committee hearing today it was revealed that Australian Border Force officials have no criteria for granting exemptions to the travel ban for ‘compelling and compassionate’ grounds.
“The decision making on this has been completely arbitrary, leaving hundreds of people stranded overseas, despite holding valid visas,” Greens Immigration spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“Many of these people have family, homes and jobs here, pay taxes here, and send their kids to school in Australia.”
“We need clear and consistent guidelines that allow people to return to Australia on a compassionate or compelling basis, and these need to be released publicly so people can understand the decision making process.”
“People with immediate family in Australia, or who face hardship and harm by being stuck overseas, should be allowed to return.”

The National Cabinet met today to further discuss options for easing restrictions over the coming months, helping prepare Australians to go back to work in a COVID-19 safe environment and getting the economy back to a more sustainable level.
The Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been 6,849 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 96 people have died. There are now only around 1,000 active cases in Australia, and over the past week, daily infection rates have remained low.
We need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and respond to local outbreaks when they occur. These are precedent conditions to enable Australia to relax baseline restrictions and enable Australians to live and work in a COVID-19 safe economy.
National Cabinet encouraged Australians to download the COVIDSafe app to ensure that we can protect Australians and reset baseline restrictions. Nearly 5 million Australians have already downloaded the COVIDSafe app. This is an enormous achievement, but more is needed.
National Cabinet welcomed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for a part of today’s meeting to discuss our countries’ approaches to combating the virus. We agreed to start work on a trans-Tasman COVID-19 safe travel zone, easing travel restrictions between Australia and New Zealand. This arrangement would be put in place once it is safe to do so, with necessary health, transport and other protocols to protect public health. Any arrangement would need to factor in state and territory movement restrictions. A travel zone would assist both countries’ economic recovery, help kick-start our tourism and transport sectors, enhance existing sporting links, and reunite families and friends.
National Cabinet agreed to meet again on Friday 8 May 2020.
Establishing a COVID-19 Safe Australia – returning to work safely and confidently
The Chair of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, Mr Neville Power, briefed National Cabinet on the importance of a proactive and consistent approach to supporting businesses and workers to safely return to work – drawing on the National COVID-19 Safe Workplace Principles that had been agreed by National Cabinet on 24 April 2020.
National Cabinet agreed that Safework Australia would be the single source of information, which will allow businesses to plan with confidence and consistency. A toolkit is being developed for businesses to use, to help them be work ready in a COVID-19 safe environment. National Cabinet encouraged businesses to be prepared for reopening, to protect their workers and protect their business.
Establishing a COVID-19 Safe Australia – removing baseline restrictions
National Cabinet agreed to establish a three step framework to gradually remove baseline restrictions to enable Australians to live in a COVID-19 safe economy. Details will be determined by National Cabinet on Friday 8 May 2020.
Individual states and territories will determine the timeframe for graduating between steps and individual restrictions to remove. This reflects the fact that states and territories are at different stages of the pandemic response, with 6 of 8 states and territories now recording multiple zero case days.
National Cabinet noted that the Northern Territory has announced that by 5 June 2020, it will be able to remove many restrictions, while maintaining social distancing, hygiene and travel restrictions.
It is National Cabinet’s aim to have a sustainable COVID-19 safe economy in July 2020. This will be subject to strong epidemiology results, testing, tracing and local surge health response capacity. National Cabinet noted that some health measures will need to be in place for a considerable period of time including social distancing, strong hygiene and international travel restrictions. Some jurisdictions may choose to maintain interstate travel restrictions.
Justice sector Preparedness
National Cabinet discussed the importance of making sure there is access to legal support for those Australians who need it during this time.
That’s why the Australian Government will provide an additional $63.3 million for the legal assistance sector:

• $49.8 million for additional frontline legal services, such as legal advice or representation, and with 40 per cent to be used for matters involving domestic violence; and
• $13.5 million for IT costs to support the sector’s transition to delivering assistance virtually and online

National Cabinet agreed that it is important to quickly finalise agreement of the National Legal Assistance Partnership to ensure continuity for services, such as Community Legal Centres. Under that Partnership agreement, the Australian Government will provide more than $2 billion over the next five years to help Australians with legal issues.
Given the importance of protecting victims of domestic violence, there was also a commitment from all Premiers and Chief Ministers that domestic violence orders will continue to be available and enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Managing COVID-19 in corrections facilities
National Cabinet agreed that jurisdictions will plan for and manage COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons in accordance with the Communicable Diseases Network Australia National Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Public Health Management of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Correctional and Detention Facilities in Australia.
National Cabinet agreed that supply of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to corrections facilities should be considered a priority in the context of the national supply of PPE, as additional supplies become available and if COVID-19 cases are confirmed in the sector.
The Australian Government will, in partnership with jurisdictions, develop ‘Safe Travel Plans’ for newly released Indigenous prisoners including access to self-isolation accommodation and secure transport to designated communities.

Works have started on the $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade from Varsity Lakes to Tugun, the Gold Coast’s largest road project.
Concrete safety barriers have been put up, VMS boards installed and speeds reduced to make way for the mammoth jointly-funded project, which will see the M1 transformed into at least six lanes from Brisbane to Tugun.
It comes as another milestone is reached on the $218.5 million M1 upgrade between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes with the new Stapley Drive bridge expected to open to traffic next week.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government had fast-tracked the project to help bust congestion and create a jobs pipeline to help in the recovery from COVID-19.
“We’re getting moving as quickly as we can to get shovels in the ground and workers on site,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our $500 million investment to upgrade the M1 will boost jobs and get workers home sooner and safer.
“This isn’t just a project with significant long-term benefits, it’s going to be delivering benefits right now with more jobs to help local workers as Australia moves past the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the project was not only about tackling congestion in Australia’s sixth largest city, but also keeping Queenslanders in jobs.
“This project will support more than 830 jobs and we’re going to keep delivering jobs and infrastructure for the Gold Coast and the whole of Queensland,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“We’re starting before the current section is complete because we want to see progress and jobs continue.
“Getting started on this project sooner rather than later means when we come out of COVID-19, Queensland’s economy can support as many jobs as possible.”
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the project would be divided into three packages, with the section from Varsity Lakes to Burleigh the first to be delivered.
“Start of construction has been fast-tracked because we know the delivery of major infrastructure projects like the M1 is essential to supporting jobs and economic growth at this time,” Minister Tudge said.
“It’s rare to see a project of this size start construction within several weeks after contract award but we know it is vital to get this project up and running at a time when creating and maintaining jobs has never been more critical.
“This is just one of our major infrastructure projects that will be essential in the post-pandemic economic recovery.”
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said close to 80 per cent of businesses currently working on the first M1 upgrade between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes were local, and that Gold Coasters would see that level of local engagement replicated on an upgrade five times the size, benefitting the city for years to come.
“The Queensland Government has secured $2.5 billion to build a better M1, and to create more than 2,000 jobs and plenty of work for dozens of local businesses,” Minister Bailey said.
“Getting shovels in the ground now means that once works wrap up on the Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes section in mid-2020, there won’t be a pause in much-needed jobs.
“Attacking coronavirus means going at it from all angles. That includes the economic front, where major construction projects like this are crucial to keeping Queenslanders employed and assisting businesses as much as possible.”
Federal Member for McPherson Karen Andrews said it was a win-win-win situation, particularly as the Gold Coast feels the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Getting this project started ahead of time is a win for jobs, a win for our economy and a win for Gold Coast drivers,” Minister Andrews said.
“By relieving the southern Gold Coast of the constant traffic bottlenecks, we can reduce travel times and increase freight efficiency.”
The project will feature the region’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange and more lanes for the 10-kilometre stretch between Varsity Lakes and Tugun and there will also be upgrades to the Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera and Palm Beach exits.
It will also include building a new service road bridge over Tallebudgera Creek and connecting a new western service road (one lane each way) between Palm Beach (Exit 92) and Tallebudgera (Exit 89). The corridor south of Varsity Lakes will be preserved for a future rail extension.
The $1 billion M1 Pacific Motorway – Varsity Lakes to Tugun project is being jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, with both governments contributing $500 million each.

The Australian Greens welcome the recent announcement by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court that she believes the court has jurisdiction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, so that it can investigate war crimes allegedly committed in Palestine since 2009.
“Australia appears to have found itself on the wrong side of international law in arguing that the court doesn’t have jurisdiction in Palestine,” Greens Leader and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Adam Bandt said.
“It’s shameful that Australia lined up with just a handful of countries to try to deny the Palestinian people recourse through international institutions like the ICC. The Greens hope that a formal ruling will soon be made that will enable an investigation to get under way.
“With Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu actively undermining the prospects of a two-State solution that could deliver peace and security to both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, it is more important now than ever to support the rights of Palestinians in the face of injustice.
“Just recently the new Israeli Government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a deal that would allow Trump’s so-called Peace Plan to be voted on in July.  This includes the annexation of illegal settlements in the West Bank and Palestinian territory in the Jordan Valley and elsewhere. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and is another step towards abolishing the rights of Palestinians.
“The Australian Government should be vocally opposing these illegal annexation plans, not remaining quiet in tacit support of Netanyahu and Trump.”

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has labelled the government’s latest change to JobKeeper eligibility rules farcical and sinister as it bends over backwards to deny wage subsidy support to Australian universities.
In the latest twist, Sydney Uni has been denied access to the scheme despite having believed to have qualified due to a significant drop in revenue, and having paid staff additional money in anticipation of receiving government support.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The government is bending over backwards to deny universities access to the JobKeeper wage subsidy. This is farcical and sinister stuff.
“Universities have been dealing with huge uncertainties for months now. Constantly shifting the goalposts is not only enormously unfair to them in this crisis, but reveals the Liberals’ malice towards higher education.
“The clear intent to lock universities out of JobKeeper can only be explained by the Liberals’ ongoing hostility to higher education and their commitment to starve universities of funding.
“The government is fully aware that up to 30,000 university jobs are on the line, but they just don’t seem to care.
“In addition to JobKeeper, the government must back universities through a new package which would massively boost funding, save jobs and improve universities for staff and students,” she said.